Inside the tent.
Song Qingchao’s hands were twisted behind her and tied to a railing.
She sat cross-legged, her fingers playing with the hanging silk ribbon.
What kind of stimulus had Feng Shaocheng received?
In her previous life, although she was imprisoned, he had given her enough freedom, and she had never been tied up.
How could it be that now, after she had merely tricked him once, he had become like this?
“Chaochao.”
Hearing his voice, Song Qingchao quickly tied the loosened rope back.
Her uninhibited sitting posture also changed, her delicate legs bent and propped on the bed.
At the same time, she weakly called out Feng Shaocheng’s name, feigning a look of impending collapse.
However, after waiting for a while, no one came in.
Curiously, she peeked her head out and saw Feng Shaocheng at the entrance talking to the soldiers standing guard outside.
Song Qingchao: Please, leave me some room to breathe…
Seeing that he was about to enter, she quickly lowered her head again, her wrists moving once more.
“Tired?” Feng Shaocheng gently sat down beside Song Qingchao, leaning her way, and reached out to caress her cheek with affection.
Song Qingchao frowned and dodged, feeling a bit annoyed, “Why have you tied me up here?”
“Afraid you’ll run away.”
Feng Shaocheng chuckled, withdrew his hand with a relaxed tone, and sniffed his fingertips under his nose.
Song Qingchao’s heart was in turmoil at this moment.
In her past life, how had she not noticed that this person was so perverse?
But she couldn’t send him to his death yet.
Instead, she still needed to use the special medicine to elevate him, to use him to pull down the Wang family, who were on their pedestal, and finally, to make Feng Shaocheng fall from his high position.
To witness his rise and his fall.
In this life, she would intervene in Feng Shaocheng’s life and death, his success and failure.
“I won’t run…”
“Really?” Feng Shaocheng asked with genuine surprise, then leaned closer to Song Qingchao, “Can you tell me why you don’t want to come back with me?”
Song Qingchao dodged him.
His warm breath on her ear was unbearable. “I am the daughter of a criminal, how can I stay by your side without status or name?”
Feng Shaocheng chuckled, then gently untied her bound hands.
He softly stroked the red marks on her wrists.
“Look, they’re all red,” Feng Shaocheng sighed. “You’re still trying to lie to me.”
“I didn’t,” Song Qingchao’s fingers twitched, and she hardened her heart to grip Feng Shaocheng’s hand.
Feng Shaocheng looked up at her in surprise, his expression like a child’s, eagerly awaiting her words.
“I’m doing this for your own good.”
Feng Shaocheng’s visible disappointment surfaced. “Do you know how much I miss you?”
Song Qingchao was momentarily speechless, but she managed to reply, “I… miss you too.”
Just as she spoke, another disturbance sounded from outside.
Curiously, she turned her head, only to be pulled back by him.
Meeting his deep eyes, Song Qingchao felt as if she were playing with fire.
“I knew you wouldn’t forget me.”
Feng Shaocheng’s slightly deeper smile was a little peculiar.
It made Song Qingchao feel somewhat uncomfortable.
“Let’s not talk about that for now,” Song Qingchao pulled his hand away from her cheeks and firmly clasped it in hers.
“What about the suggestion I made? Have you considered it?”
“As long as you stay here with me, I can afford to wait a month,” Feng Shaocheng said softly, his earlobes tinged red, as if shy.
Song Qingchao rubbed her eyes, fearing she was seeing things.
Seeing Feng Shaocheng like a changed person.
His attitude had shifted too quickly; she couldn’t adapt immediately.
“Trust me, it won’t take a month. This special medicine is very effective. In half a month, you’ll be almost fully recovered,” Song Qingchao leaned forward. “Then, promotions and titles will be inevitable.”
“Chaochao is quite concerned about my career?”
Song Qingchao was stunned for a moment by his words, but she quickly recovered.
She held her breath, making her face appear slightly flushed, and then said, “This is also for your own good.”
It was also to more easily drag the Wang family down.
Without power or wealth, how could one fight?
“You’re so good to me.”
Feng Shaocheng’s lips curved into a gentle smile.
“Do you really not want to return to Chang’an?”
“No.”
Song Qingchao’s tone became low, losing the excitement from before.
“What’s the point of going back?”
She twisted her handkerchief, feigning sadness.
“Father and mother are gone. Returning would only add to the grief.”
She pinched her thigh, and then her eyes welled up with tears. Tremblingly, she used her handkerchief to wipe under her eyes.
“Don’t cry.”
Feng Shaocheng was also momentarily lost in thought. “There’s still the princess in Chang’an. Besides, Mobei is harsh and cold; it would be too taxing on your body to go there.”
He seemed to be testing, and also coaxing.
But how could Song Qingchao not understand this?
“The princess and I have severed ties. How could she tolerate someone who covets her family’s imperial power being her confidante?”
“The princess doesn’t think that way,” Feng Shaocheng comforted her.
Song Qingchao sniffled. “How could she not? She has people monitoring me. If I had any other thoughts, I would become a ghost under her blade.”
“How could that be?”
Feng Shaocheng lowered his head and chuckled. His stiff smile made Song Qingchao feel very out of character.
She knew then that this fellow had no good intentions.
“How could it not be?”
As Feng Shaocheng was about to say more, the tent flap was lifted.
“What are you coming in for?” Feng Shaocheng’s voice immediately turned cold.
“The weather is chilly, and this concubine was worried that Miss Song might not be accustomed to living in the tent, so I boiled a cup of brown sugar ginger tea to warm you up first.”
Hearing this voice gave Song Qingchao goosebumps.
She touched her arm, thinking this was probably the legendary “squeaky voice.”
In her previous life, Su Yingying hadn’t been so delicate. What had happened in this life?
Feng Shaocheng heard that the tea was for Song Qingchao.
He secretly thought that Su Yingying was sensible.
He took the tea from the tray, then blew on it gently and prepared to feed Song Qingchao with a spoon.
Song Qingchao instantly felt like she was facing a great enemy.
She dodged the spoon he extended, took the spoon with one hand, and held the bowl with the other.
“I’ll do it myself. Shaocheng, you’ve had a long day and still have to take care of me. I’d feel bad.”
She remembered that in her previous life, because of similar incidents, this woman had smashed all the teacups in her courtyard…
And then she had falsely accused her of smashing them, deliberately injured herself, and complained to Feng Shaocheng.
Feng Shaocheng had punished her by forbidding her from leaving her room and by having her cook tea daily for Su Yingying’s room.
It was truly suffocating…
Her voice also became high-pitched, and she leaned out slightly. “Thank you for this tea, little sister. However, if I don’t have any pastries, I won’t be able to enjoy the tea, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to accept your kind intentions.”
As she spoke, she placed the tea bowl on the nearby table.
She truly couldn’t stomach poisoned tea.
Her view was blocked by the bed curtain, so she couldn’t see Su Yingying’s expression.
“Not at all, little sister will fetch some pastries for elder sister right away.”
Song Qingchao scoffed inwardly. After a moment, a plate of osmanthus cakes was presented before her.
Of course, she wouldn’t fulfill Su Yingying’s wish.
With one hand, she lifted the bed curtain and looked up at the person offering the pastries, feigning surprise.
“What are you doing here?”